


TimePetals Prompt Responses

by SelenaTerna



Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Angst, Canon Compliant, Drabble Collection, F/M, Fluff, Romance, Timepetalsprompts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-04
Updated: 2017-03-31
Packaged: 2018-09-06 10:31:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 7,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8747059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SelenaTerna/pseuds/SelenaTerna
Summary: A collection of drabbles/ficlets in response to the TimePetals prompts on Tumblr.





	1. Complications (Nine x Rose)

**Author's Note:**

> Hello lovely readers. This is my very first drabble/collection of drabbles, so feedback would be very much appreciated. I hope it's not too far off the mark. This story is in 3 x 100 word drabbles.
> 
> So, here we go. This week's prompt was 'Complications'.

Rose Tyler was a complicated little human.

He never knew what to expect, could never predict her words or actions. She was so human, so domestic sometimes, chattering about her mum and Mickey and her mate Shareen…and yet she was perfectly suited to life on the TARDIS. She thrived on the adventure, the unexpected danger and having the chance to help, to really make a difference.

She knew the world was bigger than her small corner and welcomed the knowledge. She wasn’t afraid or intimidated by it- she was exhilarated.

She didn’t fit in a box.

She was fantastic.

++++

Rose Tyler had caused some serious complications in his life.

He liked her, this pink and yellow human with a penchant for adventure. He liked having her around, having her fill the silence in his ship, and blocking the silence in his mind.

He liked her compassion, her zest for life and living. He liked the way her brown eyes burned gold when she was excited or angry, the way she flicked her hair out of her face.

He loved the compassion she showed for everyone she met, even a damaged and dying Dalek.

Hell, even for him.

++++

This was more than a complication.

He was a Time Lord, the last of the Time Lords. He wouldn’t allow himself to become overly attached to this ephemeral, fleeting human. She was like summer lightening- fast and furious, strong and _fleeting_.

He couldn’t love her. Of course he didn’t.

Then she’d been taken from him, drugged and her mind almost destroyed. He’d punished those who’d taken her, and carried her back to the TARDIS, cradling her close. At that moment, he gave up the fight.

He loved her.

It wasn’t complicated at all.

It was very, very simple.

Rose Tyler was his.


	2. Thyroid (Ten x Rose)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor, Rose, Jackie and Mickey are playing a game of Taboo, and the loser has to do the dishes. It should have been easy...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was in response to the TimePetals drabble prompt 'thighs' on Tumblr. It's made up of 2 x 100 drabbles.
> 
> Come and say hello on Tumblr! I'm at http://countessselena.tumblr.com .

“People like to show ‘em off,” Rose said. “Like to keep ‘em toned, slim and firm. They look good in shorts or a miniskirt. Can get a bit flabby sometimes though, if you’re not careful.”

The Doctor grinned smugly. “Does the word happen to start with the letters T and H?”

Rose nodded, grinning. This round was in the bag and they were free and clear of the dishes.

“Go on, then,” Jackie sighed, seeing a large pile of dishes in her future.

“THYROID!” the Doctor declared gleefully.

“Yes! That’s- wait, did you say _thyroid_?” Rose stared.

“Yep!” He beamed.

++++++++++++

  
_Thyroid_ , Rose scoffed to herself as she reached for the next plate. 

“Honestly Rose, I still don’t see why you’re so angry.”

She scowled. “ _Thyroid_ , Doctor? Really?”

“But it fit perfectly! What else could it be?”

She groaned. “It was _thighs_ , Doctor! Who shows off their _thyroid_ in a miniskirt?”

“Well actually, on Kolliema-“

“Doctor?” She interrupted.

“Yes, Rose?”

“Shut it.”

He fell silent. And then… 

“Rose?”

She sighed. “ _Yes_ , Doctor?”

“You have a very nice thyroid. Nice and smooth.” 

She rolled her eyes. “Thanks.” 

“I mean it! You could be kidnapped for a thyroid like that.”

Rose sighed again.


	3. Addictive (Nine x Rose)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor tries to convince Rose that he knows where the best chocolate can be found. She tries some...and so does he.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is in response to the timepetalsprompts weekly drabble prompt ‘chocolate’. It’s in 3x 100 word drabbles (actually, the third one is slightly longer, but let’s pretend it isn’t). Hope you enjoy!

‘Really?” Rose looked sceptical.

“I’m serious, Rose!” The Doctor insisted. “It’s fantastic! Best chocolate in the Amalli system, that is. Tailored perfectly to your biochemistry at the time of sale.”

“Seriously? Why?”

“Your biochemistry changes, Rose, an’ that sometimes changes how things taste to you. This chocolate is made to perfectly suit your tastes on that day.”

Rose seized the sleeve of his leather jacket and dragged him to the console room.

“Oi!” he protested. “No man-handling!”

She fixed him with a warning look. “You’re takin’ me there, Doctor. Right now.”

The Doctor rolled his eyes and set the coordinates.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

“This is amazin’,” Rose moaned, licking at her chocolate covered lips.

The Doctor shifted uncomfortably. “Told you it was good.”

“Mmmmmmmm,” she moaned, popping another square into her mouth. “’S gorgeous. Best thing I’ve ever tasted.”

The Doctor shifted and cleared his throat. “Right, I’ll leave to you to it, then.”

“Wait, Doctor! Don’t you want some?”

The Doctor was caught like a deer in the headlights. “I…no, it’s yours. Made for you, remember?”

“I want you to have some!” she insisted, nibbling at another piece, drawing his eyes to her lips.

He cursed his inability to refuse her anything.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Seeing that he was staying, she grinned smugly. “It’ll be the best thing you ever taste!”

His eyes burned. “Doubt that.”

She scoffed. “What, you reckon you can find something that tastes better than _this_?”

He nodded, forcibly restraining himself. “Know I can.”

“Prove it.” She popped another piece of chocolate into her mouth and moaned.

He broke.

Lunging forward, he crushed his lips to hers, devouring her.

She squeaked in surprise before moaning and responding eagerly. She tasted of chocolate and sweetness and _Rose_.

She was addictive.

Finally, he drew back to let her catch her breath. “You taste much better than any chocolate, Rose Tyler,” he growled as he licked at her bottom lip.

She panted, pupils wide with want. “You taste pretty good yourself, Doctor.” She grinned suddenly. “ _Almost_ as good as the chocolate.”

“OI!”

 

 

 

 

 

  


 


	4. Undone (Nine x Rose)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and Rose continue to enjoy their kisses. A continuation of sorts from my last piece ‘Addictive’.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is in response to the TimePetals weekly drabble prompt ‘silk, sweet and secret’, in 2x 100 word drabbles.
> 
> It’s a bit different from my usual stuff so I’m a little nervous submitting this one and hopefully you won’t hate it!
> 
> I’d also like to dedicate this to mountaingirlheidi, who’s been quite sick. I hope this helps a teeny tiny bit.
> 
> As always, if you have any questions, come find me on Tumblr at countessselena.tumblr.com.

“Smooth,” the Doctor whispered darkly as his lips trailed lingeringly over the column of her throat. “So smooth, Rose. It’s like silk.”

She whimpered and clutched at the lapels of his leather jacket, barely able to stand. Though he was touching her with only his lips, he melted her bones in a way _no one_ ever had.

“Sweet,” he murmured into her skin, as though whispering a secret. “Sweeter than chocolate. Sweeter than honey...”

She shuddered. He was burning her with his words, his dark voice, his scent… his _taste._

He undid her, this man. Totally and completely.

She was lost.

+++++++++

The Doctor inhaled deeply as he sipped and licked his way over Rose’s skin. Unable to help himself, he moaned, fisting his hands tightly in the fabric of her jacket as he breathed her in.

Her scent was magnificent and uniquely _Rose_. And oh, Rassilon, her _taste_. She was tart and sweet and addictive and he’d never stop tasting her. Never.

He trembled with wanting her.

Nine hundred years of time and space, and she was the only person who could bring him to his knees.

She undid him, this slip of a girl. Totally and completely.

He was lost.


	5. Roses (Ten x Rose)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The lights have gone out and the Doctor is going mad. The TARDIS is thoroughly enjoying herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is in response to the Time Petals weekly drabble prompt ‘candles’, in 3x 100 word drabbles. It’s a little different (again) from my usual, and hopefully it turned out OK. Just a silly little piece of fluff that popped into my head. Still not too sure about it...
> 
> As always, if you have any questions, I'm countessselena on tumblr- come say hello!

The Doctor bumped into the console for the third time and swore.

They were on a sentient ship that could travel through time and space. How on earth could they be suffering a _blackout_?

“Rose!” he called. “Did you find the Palanian long-lasting torches?”

“Still lookin’!” she called back from the storage space under the console, her voice muffled.

He groaned and aimed the sonic at the console once again.

“Come on, old girl,” he muttered. “I know you’re doing this deliberately. You don’t get blackouts. What have I done this time?”

There was no reply.

+++++++++++

Four hours, twenty-two minutes and forty-six seconds later, the Doctor was ready to beg.

He’d been in the tiny storage space under the console with Rose for hours and they still hadn’t found the torches. Worse, now they couldn’t find the way out. Her body constantly brushed against his (why was the space so blasted _small?_ ) and the scent and feel of her was slowly driving him mad. He cursed the thin material of his pinstriped suit.

Why was the TARDIS torturing him like this?

“Doctor!”

“You found them?” he asked eagerly.

_Oh, please._

“No... But I found these!”

What…….. _oh_.

Candles.

++++++++++++

The TARDIS had _finally_ let them out from under the console.

Rose had found a pack of Melian self-lighting candles and apparently that was enough for the TARDIS to give them the door back.

What in the Seven Systems was she up to?

Suddenly, there was a small burst of light and a sweet smell filled the room.

The Doctor gulped.

Rose’s face looked beautiful in the candlelight, her eyes large and dark and her luminous skin warmed by the flickering light. Her lips….

Suddenly, he cursed again.

He recognised the gorgeous scent filling the room.

 _Roses_.

In the back of his mind, the TARDIS giggled.


	6. But Why? (Ten x Rose)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and Rose discuss just how romantic it is to watch someone sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This drabble is in response to the Tumblr Time Petals Prompt 'watching someone sleep.' It's in 2 x 100 drabbles and is VERY silly- pure nonsense! Hope you like it anyway! Thanks for reading.  
> As always, if you have any questions, come say hi at http://countessselena.tumblr.com.

The Doctor gawked at the movie in disbelief. “Humans find this _romantic_?”

Rose shrugged. “S’pose. Personally, I think ’s a bit weird.”

He turned to face her, eyes wide. “But he’s _watching_ her _sleep_ , Rose.”

“I can see that, Doctor.” 

“But _why_?” he demanded. “Why is he doing that?”

She rolled her eyes. “Well, _I_ dunno, do I? ‘S not something I’ve ever wanted to do.”

“Yeah...S’pose not.” Then, evidently unable to help himself, he burst out, “But _why_ , Rose, why? There has to be a _reason_. What mystery puts this in the romantic arsenal, then?” 

Rose rolled her eyes again.

 

++++++++++

 

_The next morning…._

Rose drifted into wakefulness, reluctantly opening her eyes- and looked right into a pair of unblinking brown eyes.

An inch away from her face.

Out of reflex, she screamed and jerked back, before her sleepy brain caught up.  _Brown_ eyes?

“Doctor, what the _hell_?” she demanded, rubbing her eyes.

“I was watching you while you slept, to see what that bloke was on about.” He frowned. “I _still_ don’t see anything romantic about it. You’re dull when you sleep.”

“Oi!” She growled, feeling sleepy and irritated.

“And your nose looks funny when you sleep. Sort of scrunch-y uppy.” 

“Doctor,” she glared. “You’re on _thin_ ice, here.” 

“Oh.” He said. “Right.” He fell silent.

And then….

“Rose?”

“ _What_?”

“Did you know that you drool in your sleep?” 

 


	7. Because I Want To (Nine x Rose)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor and Rose inadvertently land on Valentine's Day. A very interesting discussion follows...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all! This is my (almost late) response to the Time Petals monthly prompt "Doctor x Rose-Valentine's Day' on Tumblr. So this didn't turn out the way I expected at all...soooo...sorry about that. The Doctor and Rose made me do it! This isn't meant to be anti (or pro) Valentine's Day or judge anyone for what they do/don't celebrate,...it's just what sort of wrote itself, really.  
> I hope you like it, despite its somewhat odd direction. As always, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact me on http://countessselena.tumblr.com.
> 
> WARNING: Trigger warning for a brief reference (non-explicit) to domestic violence.  
> 

“Oh, bloody hell!” The Doctor groaned when the first thing he saw outside the TARDIS doors was a busy London street covered in a plethora of hearts and flowers.

For once, they had actually landed in the right time and place- the fourteenth of February, 2023. This was where the TARDIS had tracked the Spelitian anomaly to, and it was where they needed to go. Only, he’d forgotten that the fourteenth of February was a designated day of irritation and sappiness amongst humans for the next several centuries.

“Valentine’s Day,” he muttered in exasperation.

“What?” Rose poked her head out of the TARDIS and he resigned himself to dealing with a cooing, sighing companion for the day. Humans always made such a huge fuss about the day, especially humans of Rose’s time.

However, her reaction was far from what he expected.

She _groaned_.

“All the bloody days of the year and we had to land on bleedin’ _Valentine’s Day_? We’ll never get anywhere near Harrods, now.” She glared at a billboard advertisement for a local florist. “Are you _sure_ that’s when it landed, Doctor?”

He blinked in surprise at her exasperated tone. “Yeah. The TARDIS tracked it right to the jewellery department in Harrods, today.”

Rose groaned again. “Oh, that’s just great! We’re stuck tryin’ to find some mysterious alien whatsit in the jewellery department on bleedin’ _Valentine’s Day_.” She sighed loudly. “How the hell are we goin’ to find it now?”

“We’ll look for unusual activity,” he said slowly, still not sure what to make of her reaction. “’S what we always do, innit?”

Rose looked at him pityingly. “Unusual activity? At Harrods? On _Valentine’s Day_? Doctor, we’ll be lucky to get near the place at all, an’ even if we do, it’ll be filled with desperate blokes tryin’ to grab somethin’ last minute because they forgot it was Valentine’s Day.” She rolled her eyes. “Couldn’ pick a worse time to try to look for ‘unusual behaviour’. Today, _everyone_ ’s a bleedin’ alien.”

The Doctor frowned in confusion. He’d never thought about it before, but really, he’d have thought that Rose would be like the rest of the humans of her time, sighing over the wretched holiday- and here she was practically scowling at the thought.

What was that about?

“Rose,” he said slowly. “Is there something wrong?”

She stared at him in disbelief. “Doctor, do you know what the shops are _like_ on this bloody day? And we’ve got to find this Spelitian whatsit in the middle of a crowd of nutters! In the _jewellery_ department, Doctor. The _jewellery department!_ ”

“I know!” He raised his hands placatingly. “Not deaf, me. Heard you the first time. We can wait for closin’ time- s’only half an hour and the anomaly seems to be stable. What I mean is, I’m surprised you’re not flappin’ about like the rest of them. I thought Valentine’s Day was supposed to be nigh on sacred in your time.”

Rose rolled her eyes. “Yeah, maybe for some, Doctor.”

He tilted his head. “Why not you, then?”

She shrugged and started walking towards Knightsbridge, evidently deciding it was time to get going. “ ‘S just big business, innit? Just another day where the shops make a mint. Pisses me right off.”

“You don’t think it’s romantic, then?” he queried, loping along beside her.

“What’s romantic about someone doin’ somethin’ just because the calendar tells ‘em they have to?” She scoffed. “’S like apologisin’ because someone’s makin’ you- doesn’t mean anything.”

 _Interesting_ , he mused to himself. Most humans of her time were almost religious about the day and Rose seemed to be the opposite. He wondered why.

“So you don’t think it’s romantic to buy flowers or some such for a loved one?”

She shrugged as they turned down a back alley shortcut. “’’S not that, ‘s the day itself. Look, ‘m sure there’re some people that really mean it- but there’s also lots of people who won’t buy flowers any other day of the year, or…or do nice things or remember important dates or go out for dinner or whatever. If you really want to be romantic, you don’t need to wait for one day a year when the shops tell you to do it, yeah? Should want to do it yourself. An’ more than once a year. An’ it should be something that _means_ something to that person, not just buyin’ heart shaped chocolates or roses.”

“You’re seriously tellin’ me that you’ve not been a little flattered when some bloke has given you flowers?” He found that somewhat difficult to believe. And a beautiful girl like Rose had to have had lines of blokes wanting to romance her.

She gave him an assessing look. “Not much of that on the Estate, Doctor- least, not for me. Jimmy was drunk off his face, most of the time, and when he wasn’t, I wished he was.” She stared grimly ahead, not seeing the thunderous expression on his face at what she was suggesting. “An’ Mickey- well, I was lucky if he remembered my birthday. When he did, it was usually a match at the pub or him coppin’ a feel between commercial breaks.”

He felt a flare of anger at the thought of Rickey the idiot putting his hands on her (to say nothing of the thought of that other wanker _hurting_ her) and ruthlessly squashed it down. Rose wasn’t his, and she’d likely be horrified at the thought of a centuries old alien pining after her. And she’d definitely be horrified if he went around punishing drunken arseholes who hurt women. More specifically, arseholes who’d hurt _Rose_.

No, he wouldn’t do that. No matter how much Stone deserved it. He’d let it go ( _for now_ , he told himself grimly) and he wouldn’t ask questions. It was obvious Rose didn’t want to talk about it and he’d not hurt her by pushing.

He forced himself to calm down and reply matter-of-factly.

“See, that’s what I mean. You’re tellin’ me that after Rickey the Idiot and his unique brand of romance, you wouldn’t be happy if some bloke bought you flowers or jewels or sommat?”

Her face relaxed slightly and she snorted depreciatingly. “Yeah, I’ll let you know when it happens, Doctor.”

Her tone showed how unlikely she thought _that_ would be, and it bothered him.

“Why d’you think it’s so unlikely?” He wanted to know.

She rolled her eyes. “Why does it matter so much? Bit domestic for you, innit?" 

“I’m just curious! Always been curious about human customs, me.” He flashed her a manic grin to convince her that it was just idle curiosity.

She snorted again. “Yeah, well, there’s a human custom that says blokes don’t give flowers and jewels to chavs on council estates.”

He frowned. That may have been the way it worked, but it didn’t mean that was how it _should_ work. “Don’t know that I agree with that.”

She shrugged. “’S the way it is. Blokes on the Estate don’t do sweet and romantic an’ we know better than to expect it. An’ blokes off the Estate don’t usually come after us unless they want a shag or a bit on the side, ‘n I’ve never been interested in that.”

“So you’re sayin’ that even if some bloke _did_ give you flowers, you’d think he was just tryin’ to get into your knickers.” That bothered him. Not that he had any intention of following ridiculous human mating rituals- but still, it bothered him.

“S’pose so, yeah.” She tilted her head to the side. “But I don’t have to worry about that anymore.”

“Oh? Why’s that, then?”

She smiled at him then- a genuine, Rose Tyler smile with a touch of tongue in teeth that made his hearts pound. 

“’Cos I’ve got you, now.”

He firmly told himself that she didn’t mean it like that, that she didn’t want him that way and tried to keep his tone light.

“What, you’re sayin’ I scare off the pretty boys? Didn’t work with that weasel Adam, did it?”

Rose smiled and tugged his hand out of his pocket, threading her fingers through his. In spite of himself, his fingers tightened about hers and he smiled, utterly content.

“Dunno, you _are_ pretty scary when you’re a mood,” she grinned. “’N specially before you’ve had your tea. Right grump, you are.”

“Oi! Who you calling grumpy, then?” He pasted a look of mock affront on his face, all the while basking in the warmth of her smile. He still couldn’t believe that the universe had given him this astounding creature. She was sunshine and light and warmth and love- all those things he’d thought he’d never find again, all those things he believed he no longer deserved.

She was his salvation, even if she never knew it, even if she never felt the same way for him that he felt for her. What she gave him was more than enough for him and he cherished it. 

She grinned at him and swung their hands as they walked. “Jack says it’s sexual frustration.”

He rolled his eyes at the thought of their erstwhile companion, who was currently off doing unspeakable things on a pleasure planet in the Koile system.

“Jack thinks burnt toast is the result of sexual frustration. Don’t know that I’d be paying too much attention to what he says.”

Rose grinned. “Too bad he’s not here now. He’d be right in his element, romancing some poor soul and charmin’ them right out of their knickers.”

The Doctor snorted. “Probably good thing he’s not here, then. Don’t feel like rescuing him from some angry spouse.”

She giggled, the sound filling him with warmth. “He’d probably ask ‘em to join in!”

Shaking his head, he tugged her down another street. They were almost there- just another street or two, if he remembered correctly.

Rose kicked at something on the ground and rolled her eyes. Peering at it, he saw that it was an empty heart-shaped box.

He had to try to refrain from rolling his own eyes. Daft things, these humans, sometimes. What did a glorified box have to do with love?

Still, he _was_ still shocked to realise just how much Rose resented the holiday. And even more so to realise that she didn’t believe in romance at all. His own cynicism he could understand- he was a broken old Time Lord that even his own people had avoided, when they’d been around. 

But Rose? She was young and fresh and _golden_. She deserved better than world-weary cynicism and arbitrary social prejudice.

“You really hate this Valentine’s business that much?” he couldn’t help but ask.

She shrugged. “S’ not that I hate it, ‘s just it seems so fake. When I worked at Henrik’s, it was always the same- people, mostly blokes, rushin’ in at the last minute getting’ stuff ‘cos they _had_ to, ‘cos it was Valentine’s Day. Wouldn’t see ‘em in there with their girlfriends or whatever any other day.”

“Alright, so that’s a bit put on. But what if it wasn’t?” he pressed, not entirely sure why he was asking. “What would you say then?

She cocked an eyebrow. “I dunno, not likely to happen is it? All the time we’ve been travelin’ together and an’ this is the first time we’ve even landed on Valentine’s Day.”

He sighed impatiently, tugging at his ear as they waited for closing time in a small alley just behind Harrods. “Forget Valentine’s Day. Say it was another day, some ordinary day, and some poor, smitten sod decided he wanted to give you flowers?”

“What, like that stupid arse on Kilopa?” She stared at him in disbelief. “Doctor, he was trying to _buy_ me with those flowers, an’ I had to threaten to cut off his bollocks before he’d back off!”

“Not like _that_!” He suppressed a growl at the thought of that idiot. “I mean, if someone gave them to you because they wanted to, with no ulterior motive.”

Rose was silent for a moment, and he feared that he’d pushed too far somehow. But then she looked at him, and the wistful look her eyes winded him, stealing his words. 

“It’d be….nice to have someone who thinks you’re special, that wants to give you the most beautiful thing they can find.” she said quietly. “I’ve always loved flowers, an yeah, it’s nice to think that you’re special enough that a bloke wants to make an effort- not ‘cause they have to, but ‘cause they _want_ to. ‘Cause you’re _worth_ that.” Then she shrugged, seeming to snap out of it. “But blokes don’t do that with people like me, Doctor. Not in real life.”

He exhaled, hating that she’d been taught to think so meanly of herself. He was just opening his mouth to tell her what _he_ thought of her, and damn the consequences, when she spoke again.

“But like I said before, it doesn’t really matter anymore.." 

“Why…why not?” he managed, swallowing past the heavy feelings in his throat.

The smile she gave him nearly knocked him to his knees. “Because now I have you,” she said again.

He swallowed and managed to cock an eyebrow inquisitively.

She squeezed his fingers. “You’ve always treated me like I’m… I’m somebody. Like I can do things. You don’t treat like I’m just some stupid chav. No one’s ever done that before. So the other stuff?” She shrugged. “Doesn’t matter, ‘cos I’ve got you.”

By Rassilon’s hairy left toe, it sounded as though she were saying…She’d actually said…

For once in his life, he was speechless.

Was she saying….She _couldn’t_ be saying….

He must have mistaken her meaning. She was probably just grateful, he told himself. She probably meant that she was glad she had him as a friend, a teacher….

But the way she’d _said_ it…

“ _That other stuff doesn’t matter. ‘Cos now I’ve got you_ …”

All this time, he’d been so sure that she’d be horrified if he showed more than a friendly interest in her, that she’d run if he got too close. And now…now he wasn’t so sure.

One thing was for certain though- whether or not she returned his feelings, he’d _never_ allow her to think she was anything less than magnificent.

Seeing that she was embarrassed, he squeezed her hand tightly in his,

“Rose.” He swallowed, his blue eyes burning into hers, willing her to understand just how much he…just how much he _esteemed_ her. How much he loved her. “You’re not _just_ anything. You…you’re _fantastic_.”

She blushed. Somewhere in the back of his turbulent mind, he registered that it made her look even lovelier.

“’S nice of you to say that,” she said quietly. “But let’s be real Doctor- to most people, I’m just a chav off a council estate. No brains, no money- nobody important. You could have _anyone_ as your companion- a king or queen, some billionaire, or a genius professor. But instead you’ve got me. You _chose_ me.” She blinked furiously, her eyes glistening with tears. One or two ran down her face in spite of her efforts and his hearts clenched.

He clutched her hand more tightly with his right hand and wiped away her tears tightly with his left. “Who said you’re not important?”

She smiled at the words he’d said in a church so long ago but he wouldn’t let her downplay what he was saying now. He wouldn’t let her sweep his words aside.

“I mean it Rose.” He cupped her cheek in his hand. “There’s no such thing as a nobody. _You’re_ not a nobody. You…you’re like no one I’ve ever met, and you’re so much more than you think you are. I’m….” He swallowed. “ _I’m_ lucky to have _you_.”

She blushed furiously. “Doctor…”

“I mean it, Rose,” he insisted, tamping down the urge to confess his feelings here and now. This wasn’t the time or place. “There’s so much to admire about you.” 

She swallowed, eyes glistening, and said nothing.

“Just….just don’t sell yourself short.” He dropped his hand from her face and with a smile turned towards Harrods. “It’ll be closed in a few minutes and we can sneak in.”

“Yeah,” she whispered, wiping at her face. Taking a deep breath, she turned to face him. “Right.’

Minutes later, they were sneaking into the deserted building, and Rose thought that was the end of it.

The Doctor knew better, but he was content to bide his time.

This was going to take very careful handling.

+++++++++

A week later, on an ordinary day of no significance, Rose found a bouquet of her favourite Eloapian mountain lilies on her bed. 

The accompanying letter made her heart pound. It simply said:

_Because I want to._

 


	8. Green (Ten x Rose)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor manages to get himself and Rose into a spot of bother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my response to the Time Petals weekly drabble prompt 'Green.' It's in 2 drabbles, one of which is a bit longer than 100 words, but let's pretend it isn't. It's a bit silly because this prompt made me feel very silly!
> 
> As always, if you have any questions or comments, come and say hi to me at http://countessselena.tumblr.com.

Rose rounded on the Doctor as soon as the cell door closed behind their jailers.

“I  _told_  you not to touch it, Doctor!” 

“But-but it was so  _tempting_ , Rose! It smelled like banana - I couldn’t  _help_  licking it!”

“They thought you were  _eating_  their sacred statue!” she shouted. “The security mechanism went off and  _look_  what happened to you!”

He cringed slightly. “It’s not so bad, Rose! Once they interrogate us under truth serum we’ll be home free.”

She stared at him. “Not so  _bad_?” 

“It’s not!”

 “Not so- you’re  _green_ , Doctor!” she shouted. “You’ve turned  _green_!”

++++++++++++

“The accused will step forward.”

The Doctor and Rose stood, adjusting their itchy woollen cloaks, and Rose swore that if they got out of this she was hiding every last banana on the TARDIS.

“I am convinced that you acted in ignorance and meant no harm to our sacred statue. Therefore, the charges against you are dismissed.”

The magistrate then turned his stern gaze to Rose. “You are his keeper, are you not?”

“I-yes, your Lordship.” She glared at the Doctor when he tried to protest. "I am."

The old alien with three ears nodded. “Then ensure that he stays under your control- the consequences for the next offence will not be so lenient.  I suggest a leash.”

The Doctor squawked in protest. 

At a poke from Rose, however, he sketched a bow to the  bench. Sniffing indignantly, he turned and stalked haughtily from the room, cloak wrapped about him and his head held high.

And bright green from head to toe.


	9. Fully Gruntled (Nine x Rose)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose is pursued by a determined admirer. Madness and a little lunacy ensue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies! This is my response for this week's Time Petals Prompts weekly drabble prompt 'gruntled'- even though it's technically seven drabbles. Ahem. I got a carried away...slightly. Honestly, I have no explanation for this fic. It just happened, it's ridiculous beyond the telling of it, and it also somehow has a tiny bit of sap. I have no excuse for this lunacy. Sooooo....sorry? ~Hides behind the wall~
> 
> As always, feel free to drop me questions and comments on Tumblr at http://countessselena.tumblr.com/. 
> 
> Also, I'm doing a Milestone FREE FIC GIVEAWAY! Instructions are on this post. http://countessselena.tumblr.com/post/158133360842/milestone-mini-fic-giveaway.
> 
> Meantime, on with the show!

“Ah, a _human_? I am a great scholar of Earth culture.”

Rose smiled in what she hoped was a polite manner. She wished the Doctor would hurry up with his shopping because this blue alien (a _Polekian_ , the Doctor had said) had spotted her waiting and glommed on like Moliuan superglue.

“Your rustic species fascinates me,” he went on, “I’ve long since mastered your primitive language.”

_Rude git._

She tried not to roll her eyes. “Which one?”

“I beg your pardon?” the Polekian blinked.

“Which _language_?” she asked, trying to sound polite. “There’s thousands of languages on earth.”

“I… had not…er, I am fluent in the _general earth dialect_.”

“Yeah?” she mumbled, trying to suppress a snort. “Let’s hear it, then.”

“You wish to converse in… _Earth Speak_?” the alien stuttered. “But why? Your Polekian is passable and it is by far the superior language.”

She smiled tightly. Her Polekian was _perfect_ (thank you TARDIS translation circuit), so he was just being rude. “Humour me.”

“Very well”, he sighed. “I quote the great poet, Wilhelm Shakesbard, son of Mercutio, Mighty King of Fairies.”

She inhaled and bit her lip.

Clearing his throat, the alien began speaking stiltedly in what she assumed was supposed to be English. “Sassy admiration of thee disturbs my toenails.”

 _Oh God._ The prat was trying to hit on her.

“Er, yeah, thanks, but m’ really not interested.”

However, he ignored her. “And beautitude of this deliciosity, wot, doth speak straight to my thyroid. Oh beloved sock, let me gruntle thee. Let me dedicate mine only nail-clipper to thy gruntlement.”

_Gruntle?!_

Barely keeping a straight face, she backed away. “Look, mate, thanks but ‘m _not interested_. ‘I’ve already got a… _gruntler_ , ‘m fully _gruntled_ , so….yeah, I’ll just...”

“Oh to gruntle thy sweet follicles.” The imbecile ignored what she’d said and moved to follow her before a hand landed heavily on his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks.

“Oi!” Came an indignant Northern voice. “The lady said no, so just you keep your _gruntlin’_ to yourself, thanks ever so.”

“And who are _you_?” the alien demanded in annoyance, thankfully switching back to his own language.

“I’m the Doctor, and that happens to be my wife you’re tryin’ to _gruntle_.”

The alien flushed. “Your _wife_?”

“His wife.” Rose glared.

The Doctor slipped an arm about her shoulders. “All right, love?” he said softly.

“’M fine,” she reassured him.

The Polekian swallowed. “I apologise if the manner of my…” he suddenly stopped dead and his eyes grew wide. “Did you say your name was the _Doctor_?”

“That’s me.” The Doctor fixed him with a stormy, blue-eyed stare.

The alien regarded him with something akin to horror. “ _Time Lord_. The _last_ Time Lord- the Destroyer of Worlds, the Oncoming Storm…” He then turned to Rose, his face completely ashen. “Sweet Bahuna’s Bubbly Bottom, that means that your wife…she’s…”

“Rose Tyler,” she finished, wondering who this Bahuna was.

The alien moaned and fell to his knees, trembling. “The Slayer of Plasmoids, Defeater of Daleks, Kicker of Naughty Nads! Spare me, O Rose Tyler!”

Rose turned to the Doctor. “Honestly, you kick _one_ bloke in the bollocks and it follows you for the next four hundred years.”

“Just _one?”_ The Doctor scoffed. “’S a few more than _that_ , love.”

She shrugged. “Alright, fine. But they deserved it. Sleazy wankers. ” She turned back to the still grovelling alien. “You want me to forgive you?”

“Spare me, O Punisher of the Perverted, I beg you!”

“Right then, from now on, when you’re tryin’ to chat someone up and they say they’re not interested, back off! Understand? No thanks means just that.”

The miserable being nodded vehemently. “Yes, Vanquisher of the Vicious! I obey!”

“Right. Off you go, then.” Turning to leave, she paused. “Oh, and honestly, I’d avoid quoting any _Wilhelm Shakesbard_ to humans if you don’t want to look like a complete git.” She shrugged. “’S up to you though.”

The Doctor snorted. “Right. Meanwhile, I have an appointment with my wife. ‘Scuse us.”

Seizing her hand, he led her back to the TARDIS. “So, Rose Tyler,” he grinned, “Vanquisher of the Vicious, the Bad Wolf, Beloved Wife of the Doctor- reckon I could talk you into a little _gruntling_?”

“With you?” She grinned, tongue touching her teeth. “ _Oh, yeah_.”

“Mad, you are. Still don’t know what you see in this daft old face.”

“S _gorgeous_.” She stroked his cheek as he unlocked the door. “My Doctor _._ ”

He smiled; a soft, tender smile reserved only for her. “My Rose.” 


	10. The Sword in the Stone (Ten x Rose)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor tells Rose the real story behind the sword in the stone. It's not quite what she thinks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovely people! This is my response for this week's Time Petals drabble prompt- stone. This is utterly silly and ridiculous and serves no purpose at all except to allow me to bask in the silly :) It's in 5 x 100 word drabbles (or just over, possibly).
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

“You’re havin’ me on.”

“Nope.” The Doctor grinned.

Rose stared at the Doctor. “You’re _seriously_ tellin’ me that the Sword in the Stone was _real_?”

“Yep! Really real!” He nodded emphatically. “But King Arthur didn’t pull it out- that was pure legend. Actually, the sword belonged to the Ancient Tyrethians – a relic of one of their princes and they wanted it back. They took the whole lot back to their planet- stone and all.”

She shook her head in bewilderment. “I don’t….How does a sword…an _alien_ sword… get stuck in a stone in the first place?” 

“The Tyrethians landed in the late fifth century by mistake- had a bit of a snafu with a temporal quantifier - and they wanted to blend in with the locals 'til they could fix it. One of them, a descendant of Migglesnuff the Moronic, carried his ancestor’s sword on board his craft as a kind of good luck charm, so they started carrying it about.”

Rose stared at him. “Migglesnuff? The _Moronic_?”

The Doctor shrugged. “He was singularly stupid- just also happened to be very lucky. Was fighting a duel and the other bloke slipped on some Pikilasaur droppings (bit like a hippo, really) and managed to fall on Migglesnuff’s sword on the way. Good old Miggs became a bit of a hero after that.”

“Right.” Rose blinked. “Idiots and hippo shit aside, you still haven’t told me how the sword got _into_ the stone, Doctor.”

“Oh! Well, they were walking about with this sword, and someone nicked one of their atomic transfer accelerators and accidentally misfired the beam and, well, essentially teleported the sword to the middle of this rather fetching stone. The chap in question hit the wrong button and fired the beam in the wrong direction.”

“But why would they _do_ that?” she demanded in bafflement. “I mean, you think they’d know how to use their own teleporter thingy.” Her eyes narrowed. “Unless it wasn’t one of them who did it.” 

“Weeeeellll, I, er, believe it wasn’t. One of them, that is.”

She gaped at him in sudden comprehension. "Oh, you're _kidding_ me!"

He flushed.

"Doctor!"

“I didn’t _mean_ to!” he protested.

She shook her head in disbelief. “You put the _sword_ in the _stone!”_

“It was an accident!”

“How do you teleport a sword into a stone by accident?” she demanded. 

“I was aiming at something else but I hit the wrong button and the beam went in the wrong direction and got the sword by mistake!” He blurted.

She was almost afraid to ask. “What were you aiming at?”

He flushed. “Weeelll…oneofthemhadstolenmybananaandIwanteditback.”

She stared. “Sorry, what? Did you say that you stole a teleporter to get a _banana_ off someone?”

“To get it _back_ , Rose! It was _my_ banana to begin with! There weren’t too many bananas floating about fifth century Britain, let me tell you.”

 “Let me get this straight- you stole an alien teleporter, screwed it up and teleported a sword into right a rock which turned into a huge legend that people are _still_ arguin’ about _just to get your banana back_?"

He grinned sheepishly and tugged at his ear. “Maybe?"

"I can't _believe_ you! Next you'll be tellin' me that the Loch Ness Monster was an alien you accidentally dropped in the lake!"

He tugged at his ear again. "Well actually..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, if you have any questions or comment, drop me a line on Tumblr! I'm at http://countessselena.tumblr.com. Thanks for reading!


	11. Safe (Nine x Rose)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wind was biting, but she didn't want to tell him. Just in case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovely people! This is my response to the TPP drabble prompt 'wind', on Tumblr. It's in three drabbles (the last of which is a teensy bit long, but let's pretend it isn't). Hope you enjoy!

The wind was biting, and cut right through her clothes. Rose shivered and gritted her teeth, forcing herself to keep going. She’d been trying to keep her head down since their disastrous trip to nineteen eighty-seven last week and was still half-expecting the Doctor to take her home, despite his words of forgiveness. She certainly wasn’t about to start complaining about the weather.  
  
Just ahead of her, the Doctor loped on, seemingly unaffected. She wondered if he’d even noticed the wind.  
  
_Probably not_ , she decided. _Superior biology and all that._  
  
She sighed and tugged her jacket more closely round her, trudging on.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
She was so focused on stumbling forward she jumped when familiar hands seized hers, chafing them gently.  
  
“You’re _cold_!” the Doctor frowned. “Heard you shivering, me. Why didn’t you say anything, Rose?”  
  
She shrugged. “Not that bad. M’fine.” Of course, at that very moment a particularly cold gust blew across the mountainside and she gritted her teeth to keep from shivering.  
  
He shrugged out of his jacket. “You’re not fine. Delicate creatures, you humans- need to be careful.” He helped her into the leather jacket, his gentle movements at odds with his somewhat fierce expression.  
  
Rose shivered again for a very different reason.  
  
+++++++  
  
Later, back on the TARDIS, she clutched her mug of hot chocolate and sighed, snuggling into her favourite blanket.  
  
A knock on the door startled her, and she looked up to see the Doctor.  
  
“Feeling better?”  
  
She nodded, turning back to her hot chocolate.  
  
Moments later, the bed dipped and large hands were gently taking the mug from her, turning her towards him.  
  
“You should’ve told me, Rose.”  
  
“I could keep goin’, so…” She shrugged. “Didn’t seem that important.”  
  
“It _is_ important.” The Doctor gently tilted her chin up until she looked at him and his blue eyes blazed into hers. “Rose, I can’t keep you safe if I don’t know what’s happening, and I _need_ you to be safe. Understand?”  
  
She swallowed and nodded, unable to look away.  
  
His gaze softened and he cupped her cheek. “Besides, don’t think you want frostbite snapping off those little fingers and toes of yours. Like things the way they are, me.”  
  
She smiled.  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Feel free to drop me comments or queries at http://countessselena.tumblr.com


	12. Gold (Nine x Rose)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor takes Rose to a unique marketplace for a very special reason.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovely people! This is my response to the Time Petals drabble prompt 'gold'. So, this is...not the story I intended to write- it seems my brain had other ideas. This story is a bit more serious than i had intended. Also, TRIGGER WARNING for non-explicit references to domestic violence. I hope you like it anyway- bit different from the usual again.
> 
> As always, I've managed to go way over the one hundred words mark- it's more like 8 drabbles (i.e. a ficlet), so sorry about that. As it's so long, I've also given it a little home of its own, as well as adding it to my this work.
> 
> And now, on with the show!

“Is it not lovely?” The young woman displayed the rose-gold necklace for Rose to inspect. 

“’S’ beautiful,” Rose breathed. “But oh! Look it’s broken! That bit, there.” She pointed at the broken and flattened links.

The young woman- Kalina- smiled. “It is.”

Rose shook her head in disappointment. “What a waste.”

Kalina smiled. “But why should it go to waste?”

“’Cause it’s broken!” Rose pointed out. “Look, all along there, they’ve been squashed- and that bit’s snapped right off! How can you fix that?”

“I cannot,” the young woman agreed. “It is damaged beyond repair and I cannot hope to mend it in its current state. However, I _can_ remake it, and your Doctor thought you might like to watch.”

“I- yeah, alright.” She turned to the Doctor as Kalina bound her long blue hair back from her face and donned a leather apron. “Doctor, what-?”

He folded his arms and nodded towards the young woman who had just lit a small furnace. “Watch and see, Rose.”

Frowning in puzzlement, she turned back to watch. The Doctor had been behaving very oddly since their visit to her mum two days ago.

Rose flushed in shame at the memory of a drunken Jackie recounting Rose’s sordid history with Jimmy Stone to the Doctor. She’d left nothing out, not even that last fight that had put her in hospital, and worse still had listed Rose’s injuries in detail. In the end, Rose had fled the room, not wanting to see the Doctor’s reaction or know what he must think of her. Neither of them had brought it up since.

Blinking, she refocused in time to see Kalina take the damaged necklace, place it in a crucible and then place the crucible carefully into the furnace with a pair of tongs. Rose couldn’t help but make a small moan of distress at the thought of that beautiful necklace being melted to nothing. 

A familiar hand slid into hers, fingers entwining automatically. “It’ll all be worth it, Rose. Just you wait and see.”

“Yeah, I know, but….it’s such a shame. It was so nice and now they have to destroy it.”

“They’re not destroyin’ it,” he corrected. “They’re _remakin’_ it, Rose. Look.”

Kalina carefully removed the crucible from the furnace and, tipped it into the waiting mould. Before long, they were watching young goldsmith roll the gold into two pieces and tap away at them with her tools.

Rose watched her work. “Takes a lot of work to remake it.”

“It _is_ tough work,” the Doctor rumbled in the Northern burr she loved so much. “Takes a lot of time and effort, but it’s worth it.” He turned to face her, his blue eyes intent. “Gold is unique, you see Rose - doesn’t rust like other metals, doesn’t break easily either- very malleable. It’s strong, can stand up to a lot . And it’s beautiful.” His eyes were burning now. “An’ even if it _does_ break, it’s never ruined; just melt it down and start again, and turn it into something better and stronger than it was before. Takes a lot of grunt, takes time, but it’s worth it in the end. It’s very valuable _,_ gold.”

She tried to breathe, frozen with shock and shame and _hope_ at what she thought he was saying. “Yeah?”

His eyes blazed into hers. “Oh yes. I’m certain of that, me.”

They were interrupted a moment later by Kalina, the finished product in an open blue box. “Your finished piece, Doctor, and just as you requested, made from a damaged piece.”

Rose felt as though everything swayed for a moment. He’d done it all for her; he’d brought them here, to this market, for _her_. He didn’t think less of her, even after he’d heard about what had happened, what she’d _become_ , with Jimmy.

The Doctor looked at the finished product and nodded in approval, handing over his credit stick. “That’ll do nicely, thanks. Just what I was after.”

Turning back to Rose he motioned for her to turn around and gently fastened the new necklace around her neck, the touch of his fingers on her neck making her shiver.

“See?” he said, gently turning her to face him. “Not broken anymore. It’s stronger and more beautiful than it was before.” He caressed her cheek. “And just as valuable, Rose, just as precious.”

Trembling, she turned to a small mirror on a nearby wooden bench and saw that she was wearing a braided choker in rose-gold -seemingly delicate but oh, so very strong- with a rose-shaped pendant on the end.

The Doctor came up behind her and his gaze pierced hers even in the mirror.

“It’s fantastic, gold. No matter how many times it breaks, it always becomes something newer and stronger.”

Rose swallowed, trying to keep back her tears.

The Doctor seemed to understand, and smiled gently. “My golden Rose.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to drop me a line on tumblr


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